Lukito, P K (2000) A framework for environmental monitoring infrastructure investment planning in developing areas. PhD thesis, University of Wisconsin - Madison, USA.
Abstract
This thesis describes a planning and cost-estimating framework, with supporting computer software, that can be used to improve decision making related to environmental laboratory construction and operation. A spreadsheet program is supported by a database that contains the technical and economic information. The outputs are the resources needed to construct and operate a laboratory to meet a specified mission. The resources include the laboratory budding, furniture, personnel, equipment, and monies need for construction and operation. It is hoped that application of the tool will result in the participating agencies committing all the needed resource over the planned operating lifetime of the project. The obvious use of the planning tool is to develop budgets for construction and operation of a laboratory or a coordinated network of laboratories. Other important uses are to (1) identify special needs for recruitment and training of personnel, especially technicians who can do maintenance and repair of expensive instrumentation, and (2) calculate the per analysis fees that must be charged to recover costs. The tool can be used to develop long-term budgets for the staged development of laboratories. This staging might be to increase the number of analyses performed and the amount of instrumentation according to a program that is realistic given the available funding and availability of technical personnel. The tool can also be used to compare the cost of a centralized laboratory with smaller separated laboratories. A centralized laboratory offers economy-of-scale with respect to laboratory space, equipment, maintenance technicians, purchasing, and other costs. This is balanced against increased travel and costs of collecting samples. Another usefulness of the tools is to plan a large monitoring study (as opposed to planning a laboratory). This planning might be done by a laboratory before it agrees that it can support of proposed monitoring program. Or, it might be done by the monitoring program manager as a means of checking the economic feasibility of the proposed project. *The dissertation includes a CD that is multimedia (contains text and other applications that are not available in a printed format). The CD requires the following applications: Microsoft Word, Excel, Access 1997.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Berthouex, P M |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | personnel; equipment; cost estimating; decision making; estimating; funding; investment; monitoring; purchasing; recruitment; training |
| Index terms: | laboratory, monitoring, manager, estimating, repair, database, recruitment, funding, cost estimating, infrastructure investment, personnel, instrumentation, spreadsheet, decision-making, dissertation, purchasing, agency, program, environmental monitoring |
| Subjects: | data science, software systems, procurement strategy, practitioner, financial and cost management, sociology, decision analysis, research management, environmental impact, control systems, maintenance engineering, data management, management, analytical methods, research dissemination and communication, economic analysis |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Business Strategy, Sustainability, Digital Applications, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Procurement, Risk Management, Cost Management, Human Resources, Site Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here